West Bengal’s Leader of the Opposition, Ritabrata Banerjee, who heads the dissident faction of Trinamool Congress, expressed his support for the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Banerjee urged the central government to investigate the recent NEET-UG question paper leaks. He emphasized that the Bill’s provisions were appropriate and emphasized the need for stringent actions to prevent such incidents.
Banerjee highlighted the necessity of understanding why the leaks occurred and the reasons behind the subsequent protests. He stressed the importance of enacting effective laws to prevent future leaks and avoid the need for severe measures. Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha, proposing stricter penalties for paper leaks and setting deadlines for investigations. The Bill also includes provisions for Special Fast Track Courts and hefty fines for organized crime networks involved in such activities.
The Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, announced the introduction of 91 amendments to the Bill and allocated a six-hour discussion window. However, the discussion was postponed due to protests by the Opposition demanding government accountability for the use of force on protestors in Delhi. The Bill aims to enhance penalties established by the 2024 Act, introduce faster investigation timelines, and impose substantial fines to deter organized crime networks from engaging in paper leaks.
